With a name like "microphone," you'd expect something small—but perhaps not quite as small as this. Scientist have figured out how to use just one molecule to detect the vibrations from sound. »10/02/14 2:15pm 10/02/14 2:15pm

Water isn't supposed to float on top of water because well, water is water. So how are these droplets of water suspended on the surface of the water? Sound. The water is actually on top of a speaker and the acoustic vibrations allows the water drops to stay as drops on top of water. »9/24/14 10:33pm 9/24/14 10:33pm

From the Golden Gate Bridge to an ancient Japanese bell, the physical structures around us are humming with secret sound. Artist Bill Fontana has made a career of capturing these haunting and complex soundscapes. As an artist at residence at CERN, he's mostly recently been listening in on the world's largest particle… »3/12/14 9:40am 3/12/14 9:40am

You don't even need a flashlight to look for cave paintings in the dark: you just need the sound of your own voice. By listening to echoes as they walk through Spanish caves, acoustic archaeologists are unlocking the secrets of underground soundscapes. »2/13/14 6:40pm 2/13/14 6:40pm

You know how some big rooms have special spots where you can stand and hear someone whisper from a hundred feet away. What if speakers could do that, selectively slinging sounds to specific listeners for specific purposes? You'd never have to wear headphones again! »1/31/14 6:20pm 1/31/14 6:20pm

Being shot into space puts spacecraft under extreme stress—but did you know that the sound of the rocket launch can damage a craft? Inside the Large European Acoustic Facility, engineers recreate the incredible noise of a launch to make sure satellites can survive it. According to the ESA, "no human could survive" the… »1/29/14 1:00pm 1/29/14 1:00pm

What if we could identify plants not by sight but by sound? It's not entirely fanciful: every plant makes a unique set of sounds—an auditory signature, if you will—influenced by its physiology. But these sounds, usually in the ultrasonic range, are not for our ears. »1/23/14 11:20am 1/23/14 11:20am

In September 1990, a group of scientists put a drill head to the ground in southern Germany, where two landmasses once merged to form the supercontinent Pangaea 300 million years ago. Their goal? To drill the deepest hole ever made into the earth, a "telescope" into its core. »1/06/14 10:40am 1/06/14 10:40am

In 1960, scientists did one of those experiments that just aren't allowed anymore. For the sake of science, they blew up three 3oo-lb anti-submarine bombs off the coast of Australia. A listening station 10,000 miles away in Bermuda—on the exact other side of the planet—waited. And waited. And, about three and a half… »12/10/13 4:20pm 12/10/13 4:20pm

In an interesting but somewhat obviously biased New Statesman article, the marketing team at audio-engineering firm Biamp have collected a few interesting examples of how architectural acoustics and urban-scale soundscape design affect mood. They mention, for example, the stressful effects of sustained noise on blood… »11/25/13 2:00pm 11/25/13 2:00pm

You unlock this post with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension—a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a collection of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. »11/19/13 9:20am 11/19/13 9:20am

The days of having to shout over the noise at a restaurant may be over, thanks to a new digital noise-cancelling technology designed together by Meyer Sound and former Phish manager-turned-restauranteur, John Paluska. Utilizing a combination of speakers, microphones, ipads, sound-dampening materials, and human ears,… »5/25/12 3:40pm 5/25/12 3:40pm

Cylon raider? A new Tron vehicle that we'll see in an upcoming director's cut? Definitive proof that we are not alone? Actually, it's none of those things, but the dead silence it produces is amazing anyway. »7/03/11 4:00pm 7/03/11 4:00pm

Penn State's Beaver Stadium is already one of the toughest away venues in college football. But this fall—thanks to some scientific chicanery—it's going to be nearly 50% louder, making it almost impossible for opposing QBs to be heard. »5/06/10 2:00pm 5/06/10 2:00pm